Here is the contestant that scored the highest this month and is immune to the vote!

Lori After 2nd Month - Lost 13.6 pounds this month!

Now let’s look at the two up for the VOTE!!!

Contestant 1 – Linda

Linda at the Start

Linda Today – 24 pounds lighter!

Results:

Lost 10 pounds this month (4.0 % of her body weight)

Two months together she’s lost…

24 pounds Total!!

2.6 % body fat

1.55 inches in her arm

3.3 inches at her chest

3.4 inches at her waist

2.25 inches at her hip

1.1 inches at her thigh

Video From Linda:

Contestant 2 – Leslie

Leslie at the Start

Leslie Today - 30 pounds lighter!

Results:

Lost 13.2 pounds this month (6.0 % of her body weight)

Two months together:

30.2 pounds Total!!

2.1% body fat

1.2 inches in her arm

2.8 inches at her chest

2.85 inches at her waist

3.0 inches at her hips

2.5 inches at her thigh

Video from Leslie:

Story about Linda and Leslie:Linda and Leslie work together AND are both members of the 4:15 pm Boot Camp. This is tough to have them both up for elimination. They are both awesome ladies if you don’t know either of them please VOTE, this is going to be very hard on mutual friends!

Now it’s time for the Vote:

First, about the voting:

Voting is open NOW (like now!) until Sunday July 31st at 2 pm.

Only 1 vote per person (we will be checking email addresses)

Anyone can vote, (does not have to be local) so tell as many people as possible!!! (email this page to them or facebook it)

If you don’t know either of the contestants it is even more crucial for you to vote to make sure it isn’t just a popularity contest.

The Voting form is at the bottom of this page. (before you vote check out the results!!) Make sure you confirm yourself in an email you receive from us or your vote won’t count because we won’t be able to see it!!

The contestant with the least votes will workout at home and be eligible for the second prize while the one with the most will go on to the next month of the challenge.

Remember the two you can vote for are Leslie and Linda.

Put your name, email, and your vote for who you think should stay!

***make sure you confirm your vote through an email we will send you***

Name

Email

Linda or Leslie

Post it to facebook and email it around that’s what is going to determine the winner! Good Luck Contestants (we wish we were keeping you both!!)

After only a month of Work!!!

On top of a record setting month for the boot camp classes (most weight lost by the entire program – 349.2 pounds in one month!!), we also had the summer challenge contestants pulling out some incredible results.

First, about the voting:

Anyone can vote, (does not have to be local) so tell as many people as possible!!! (email this page to them or facebook it)

If you don’t know either of the contestants it is even more crucial for you to vote to make sure it isn’t just a popularity contest.

The Voting form is at the bottom of this page. (before you vote check out the results!!)

The contestant with the least votes will workout at home and be eligible for the second prize while the one with the most will go on to the next month of the challenge.

Here are the % weight loss numbers in order:

Leslie – 7.2% (17 pounds!)

Lori – 5.6% (12.4 pounds!)

Linda – 5.1% (14 pounds!)

Cathy – 4.4% (11.2 pounds!)

Katie – 2.8% (6.4 pounds!)

The contestant with the lowest % weight loss is automatically out of the running for the grand prize.

The next two are up for the vote.

While the top two are automatically moving on to the next month.

Here are the 2 that scored the highest and are immune to the vote!

Leslie - 17 pounds lost - 7.2% weight loss

Lori - 12.4 pounds lost - 5.6% weight loss

Let’s look at the 5th place winner (remember they all won a month of boot camp over a LOT of other people)

Katie

While not losing the most as far as percent weight loss she has lost more inches than any other contestant!!! If the competition were based on that she would be the champion (inches is what people SEE when they look at you, they don’t know how much you weigh!). More than 5 inches lost in her hips is unheard of in one months time! Awesome work Katie, we are very proud of you!!

Results:

Lost 6.4 pounds (2.8 % of her body weight)

Lost 1.1% Body Fat

Lost – 4.5 inches in her chest, 2.6 inches in her waist, and 5.05 inches in her hips!!

Video of Katie’s Journey:

Good luck at home and we will see you back each month of the challenge for an update as you continue your journey. Katie still has a chance at winning a month of boot camp if she is the at home winner! If you feel inspired you can comment and leave some encouragement for Katie or any of the other contestants.

Now let’s look at the two up for the VOTE!!!

Contestant 1 – Linda

Results:

Lost 14 pounds (5.1 % of her body weight)

1.7 % body fat

2.6 inches at the chest

2.85 inches at the waist

1.65 inches at the hip

plus 1.65 inches at the arm!

Video: Let’s hear why Linda still wants to be in this competition!

Contestant 2 – Cathy

Results:

Lost 11.2 pounds (4.4 % of her body weight)

1% body fat

1.5 inches at her chest

.6 inches at her waist

1.3 inches at her hips

Video: Let’s hear why Cathy still wants to be in this competition!

Now it’s time for the Vote:

Remember the two you can vote for are Cathy and Linda.

Put your name, email, and your vote for who you think should stay!

Warning: We just realized you must verify your email address for it to count, you’ll get an email “We got your vote-Verify to get results!” – you must click the link in there for us to officially receive your vote (otherwise we won’t know who you voted for!) then you’ll get a “You just Voted!!” email and you can rest easy knowing you have helped out your contestant. (if you’ve been with us for awhile you should only get the “You just Voted!!!” email)

Name

Email

Linda or Cathy

Post it to facebook and email it around that’s what is going to determine the winner! Good Luck Contestants (we wish we were keeping you all!!)

By decision time we had recieved 30+ entries. All were so compelling, we wish we could have selected them all! We actually increased the number of finalists to 5 but couldn’t go any higher.

To those who did not make it:

We are so sorry we didn’t pick you all, we absolutely wanted to. We will do our best to help you through our emails, nutrition program, or boot camp if you choose to join on your own. Tanya will be emailing you individually to help you get started with whatever you choose.

Why 5? Didn’t you say 4?

We took it up to 5 because we couldn’t get it narrowed down any more. Because there are 5 this first month the person with the lowest % weight loss will be automatically sent home and the next two lowest will have a video to plead their case to stay and the public will vote on who will stay on for the next month.

Why no guys?

We only had one enter and we almost chose him by default but we pray we have made the right decision with these finalists.

Your Finalists – In no particuler order:

“What frustrates me the most about my health and fitness is that I don’t feel healthy or fit!! For the past thirty years I have had one excuse or another for not making the time to get fit…having children, facing the death of my sister, brother, father, moving out of state, facing divorce with two daughters after 14 years of marriage, going back to college for massage therapy, taking care of my elderly mother, who now lives with me, and most recently helping my daughters deal with the death of their father. Life is challenging sometimes and I feel like I am always able to help others face their fears and persevere, but I don’t give myself the same gift. I am a “functional” unfit person but I want to be a “flourishing” healthy person!”

“What would I do with the weight I don’t want? That weight is on my shoulders – in my mind – keeping me from so much. That weight is in every step I take causing me to tire from walking across the yard with my kids. It makes me unable to breathe easily just running up and down the stairs. It ties me down. I want to wear pretty dresses, and date again [husband left her 3 years ago]. I don’t know how I got to this point. Well, let me take that back – I do know. I’ve allowed my circumstances and all of the awful things that I have happened to me in the last three years become my excuse to eat whatever I wanted and stop caring….I want to win this challenge. I want to say goodbye to this weight and have a healthy lifestyle I can teach my kids. and frankly, I want something good to happen. I know you guys can help and I could never afford this on my own. [she recently lost her job].”

“I feel that I should be selected for this challenge because I really think it is the answer to my prayers. Just as I have started to get discouraged due to lack of results on my own, the email came in regarding this upcoming challenge, as if it were made for me. Since I was 16 I have battled my weight, and have been a classic “yo-yo” dieter. However, after I left my job over 3 years ago to stay home with me struggling (then 2nd grade) son, my weight spiraled out of control. I gained about 70 pounds in the first year and a half after leaving. Then, on May 1st, 2010, my grandmother passed away. It was hard for me, as I was very close to her. Since she passed away a year ago, I have gained another 35 pounds. I have been very upset and depressed about my weight, and the way I look, but didn’t have the courage to try to do anything about it. Then about 8 weeks ago, a girl I went to school with got the LapBand surgery, and after only 2 weeks she lost 10 pounds. I thought, wow, that sounds great! So I investigated this option for myself, however was told that my BMI was only 38, and the program required a BMI of 40 or more. I was so depressed to find out that while I was 90-100 pounds overweight, it wasn’t enough for them to help me. My options were either gain 15-20 more pounds to become eligible for the program, or…”

“I have struggled with my weight for years ever since bearing children two decades ago but it wasn’t until the 3rd child that I progressively gained weight. For years I did not have the time due to the demanding schedule of trying to build my children into well rounded adults with “too many” activities. The fast food stops between activities which I am now acutely aware did not benefit any of us, contributed in oart to my weight gain from 140 pounds when first married 29 years ago to a size 18/20 W of 230+ pounds (I recently lost 10 pounds). I did know how to eat correctly but that knowledge seems to have fallen into the big black hole. I now have time to exercise but for a variety of reasons (including 2 kids in college) I do not currently have the finances to follow through with my desire for an intense program. During the last 15 years I have aquired some health problems from the choices I have made. I have high blood pressure, lack of energy, a few vitamin/mineral deficiencies, and numerous joint issues, not to mention the fatty liver that I lovingly say I am growing so I can share if a family member needs part of it. Although I make jokes, I am saddened by my physical state. … I also am very aware the I am setting the stage for more profound health problems because of the condition I am in at the age of 54.”

Please comment some encouragement to these finalists!

To be notified of the vote when it comes time to vote for who should continue, you can enter your name and email below to be added to our contact list.

Warm weather is finally here..well it is supposed to be anyway. The fresh produce is all around us! Here is a quick and easy fruit dip that is healthy too. It would be great to take to those upcoming picnics this summer.

FRUIT DIP

1 cup plain greek yogurt. Chobani is my favorite.

1-2 tbsp. clover honey

1 tsp. coconut extract or 2 tbsp fresh coconut juice

2 tsp vanialla extract

pinch of ground ginger

Mix all in a bowl and enjoy! It has a tropical zing so I like it with fresh pineapple, mangos, strawberries, kiwis, bananas and papayas. Or use your favorite fruit.

I love to can! It is great to be able to control the quality of food and avoid all the extra salt and sugar that is added into store bought canned foods.

Here is a recipe we like for tomato sauce.

This makes several jars so it should last you the year.

Tomato Sauce

1/2 bushel tomatoes( about 25lbs) You can use any kind but I really like roma.

Olive oil(2-3 tbsp)

Balsamic Vinegar(to taste..I use 1/4 cup)

4 cups leeks or onions

4 cups chopped peppers

2 cups fresh basil

12 cloves of garlic (more or less to liking)

2 tbs brown sugar (more or less to liking)

**you could substitute other vegetables like zucchini, carrots, eggplant..whatever you like.

Roast the tomatoes(with skin on) with a drizzle of olive oil and vinegar at 275 degrees for about 2 hours. Puree in a blendor to the consistency you desire. Place in a large pot with peppers, onions, garlic, basil and brown sugar and simmer for about 2 hours.

You can either can these orplace in freezer bags or containers(I do a little of both..deepening on how much time I have).

This could be a family project. I have lots of fond memories in the kitchen with my mother. It does take a little time but it will last awhile. Think of the quality of food you will be feeding you and your family. It is well worth the effort!!

These yummy coconut lemon bars can be made into a high protein/lowfat version that makes ten servings (bars). Each bar contains 176 calories of which 15 grams come from carbs, 10 grams from protein, and 9.4 grams from healthy fats and omega 3′s.

After all ingredients have been combined, process on high until mixture reaches a dough-like consistency. Roll the dough out flat with a roller onto sheets of wax paper. Cut the mixture into ten equal weight bars. An easy way to get exact weight is to measure the whole mixture on your food scale then divide the weight by ten. You can even measure each ball of dough and roll into edible tubes. This is a great snack that provides a healthy balance of fats, protein, and carbohydrates as well as a hoast of vitamins and minerals. Due to the protein and fat content, they are quite filling. Due to the low sugar content, they do not significantly raise blood sugar. If you find the dough a bit crumbly, you can add a bit of extra virgin coconut oil, but be sure to adjust the calorie content accordingly.

Bars are best kept in the freezer to keep them firm, but can safely be carried around in a gym bag or purse for a whole day before eating. ENJOY!!

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil. In a large bowl combine olive oil and spices. Add chickpeas and toss to coat. Place on baking sheet and roast, stirring or shaking baking sheet often, untill chickpeas oare browned and crunchy, 45-50 minutes. Let cool before serving.

You can also change the spices around to your liking. This is a way to add a lot of flavor with out any calories.